1. Field of the Invention
Medicine and surgery, especially devices and implements for inserting and removing something from the eye. Eyeglasses and especially contact lens and devices for manipulating same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Soft contact lens, which are made of a pliable plastic as opposed to the hard or rigid corneal contact lens, are frequently worn by persons who have had cataract operations. Such persons often have difficulty in inserting and removing the soft contact lens. Also, elderly persons, and in fact anyone who has some sort of impaired vision or manual dexterity due to a variety of reasons such as arthritis, palsy condition, injury and so forth, encounter difficulty in inserting and removing a soft contact lens. Indeed, it is sometimes virtually impossible for such persons to perform this seemingly simple operation alone but objectionable to have someone else put something in their eyes. Ordinary suction cup devices, tweezer apparatus and the like which are sometimes used in conjunction with hard contact lens do not alone solve this problem. Suction cups are hard to release. Tweezers are hard to manipulate. Furthermore, it is not practical for a wearer of soft contact lens to have someone else assist each time in inserting and removing soft contact lens.
One version of the present method and apparatus provides a frame which is worn somewhat like conventional eyeglasses but with open spaces in front of the eyes so that the soft contact lens may be readily positioned directly in front of the center of the eye and the lens moved into engagement with the surface of the eye in a gentle but effective manner. The frame is lightweight and inexpensive and can be provided with an optional monocular lens to assist in location. The device may be worn by means of side frame members like eyeglasses or can be held in place by a headband of elastic material or the like.
A primary object of this invention is to provide a means for the positioning, alignment and insertion of a soft contact lens and for the removal thereof.
Another object of this invention is to provide a relatively lightweight, inexpensive frame arrangement which temporarily holds, positions, aligns and facilitates inserting of a soft contact lens by manual manipulation and also provides a means for removal of the lens.
Still another object of this invention resides in the use of a small cup plunger device for insertion and the substitution of a removal device comprising small tweezers which are actuated by a slight plunger movement.
Another object of the headband form of the invention resides in the pre-setting of the device for repetitive use by the same person and always in proper alignment for the eyes.
Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.